Oscar Robertson has solved Stephen Curry!
Okay, maybe not.
The NBA legend did, however, have some interesting comments about defending Curry and defense in general. Here’s Randy Miller of NJ.com with the gist of Robertson’s sentiments, which he made during an appearance on ESPN ‘s Mike & Mike:
NBA legend Oscar Robertson thinks that there’s a pretty simple solution to better containing the best shooter in today’s game:
Play tighter defense on Golden State Warriors three-point whiz Stephen Curry.
“If I’ve got a guy who’s great shooting the ball outside, don’t you want to extend your defense out a little bit?” the 77-year-old Big O said Thursday during a phone interview on ESPN’s Mike & Mike show. “I just don’t think coaches today in basketball understand the game of basketball. They don’t know anything about defenses. They don’t know what people are doing on the court. They talk about analytical basketball and stuff like that.”
Um, sure.
Look, this tends to happen. Robertson is 77 years old and comes from a completely different generation. That gap matters when discussing hoops, whether you’re a former player, seasoned writer or just a fan of the game.
People have differing views of the game, and how it should be played. Some view the absence of serial post play as a basketball tragedy. Others lament jump-shooting teams. This sporting war has been going on for a while. The introduction of Overlord Stephen Curry has just exacerbated the situation.
Curry, more than anyone else in recent memory, is reinventing our views on the game. So too is Draymond Green. And that makes people uncomfortable or crotchety, which, in turn, leads them to oversimplify complex concepts like this.
Welcome to 2016, folks!
